Chapter 001: A Narrow Encounter

The person smiled slightly, seemingly wanting to get a little closer, but upon noticing the axe that Lao Xing was subconsciously gripping tightly, he stopped in his tracks. He appeared quite dissatisfied with the way his previous words had fallen flat, looked up at him and said: "Why are you so tall?"

In September, the northern country no longer basked in the bright sunshine as it once did; it seemed even the sun was frightened away by the grievances on Earth, often hiding without a trace. The sky, which should have been a clear blue, was long replaced by a shade of grayish-blue. The north wind swept through, and large swathes of leaves, not yet having turned yellow, swayed and fell from the branches, rolling a few times on the ground below until they encountered the leaves that had fallen earlier, gathering together with their former companions.

At that moment, the man with the gun finally stood up, cursed, raised his pistol, aimed at Old Xing's back, and shouted: "Go to hell."

This is a man and a woman. The man is in his forties, tall and with dark skin. The woman is around thirty years old, with a fairly attractive appearance, her hair simply tied up at the back of her head. They are together taking a blanket out of the car, preparing to spread it inside the tent

"Young people nowadays," Old Xing said dismissively. "Although the two oil companies have a notorious reputation, at least they managed to distribute gasoline and diesel everywhere. Now, even if one wants to buy high-priced oil, there is no one to be found. This is when the advantages of the two oil companies become apparent. For people like us who rely on cars for transportation, the importance of fuel is self-evident. No one knows if they can replenish their fuel before it runs out. Generally, one can only afford to splurge a little when they are near a gas station and can confirm that they can refuel. Old Xing certainly wouldn't waste it on starting a fire."

Old Xing looked at him in silence, much like how the British first discuss the weather; it holds no practical significance, merely serving as an icebreaker to continue the conversation. This matter fundamentally requires the willingness of both parties to cooperate. Since he has discerned that these individuals harbor ill intentions, he naturally does not wish to engage with them. However, until the situation becomes clear, he still prefers not to offend the other party.

Hmm. Old Xing replied absentmindedly. Ever since the disaster, the sun has become a rare sight, showing its face only a few times a month. Instead, overcast days are more frequent, and usually, it is windy without rain, making one feel irritable as if they are about to grow fur. Of course, theoretically speaking, in dry and windy weather, it is not so easy to get moldy. He stared at the flickering flames and said, "Hou Jia, do you think it was a mistake for us to leave the village?"

However, we have lived there for a year, and we are already familiar with everything in the town. He looked up at the camp over there, where those people had also finished dinner and were gathered around the campfire talking about something. Their voices were loud, but it was unclear when it reached this side; it could only be discerned that it was those few men speaking, while the women and children remained silent. He said with a heavy heart, "Perhaps we should find a way to kill those few zombies."

The woman deftly boiled water in a tin stove set over the campfire, then switched to an aluminum pot to start cooking rice. Old Xing lifted a 25-kilogram plastic bucket to help her pour water into the pot. The woman said with concern, "If we head back tomorrow, we might not find a well, and this water won't be enough for a day's use."

The three individuals did not each possess a firearm, as that would indeed be too extravagant. Even in the aftermath of a great disaster when order has collapsed, this is still Chinese territory. Therefore, what Old Xing observed was merely a long gun, slung across the back of a man

This is a common poplar forest found in the northeastern region of China. The poplar trees are tall, have a short growth period, and are a popular choice for afforestation, often planted along both sides of roads for coverage. The only drawback is that their wood is less dense than that of pine trees, resulting in a somewhat sparse forest belt. In the event of strong winds, they are prone to breaking. Typically, forestry personnel will promptly remove the broken trees and replace them with new saplings. In any case, poplars grow quickly, and within a few years, they will once again become tall trees that rustle in the wind.

Old Xing hesitated for a moment and then replied loudly, "You all stay over there"

Old Xing wore a serious expression, pushed her slightly, and whispered, "Get in the car." Their SUV was facing the oncoming traffic, and to drive away, they would have to pass by those two vehicles, which was too risky. However, making a U-turn on the highway was not an easy task, and coupled with some reluctance to leave behind the things they had just moved, he hesitated and did not decide to pull the woman into the car and flee.

The man threw the quilt into the tent, clapped his hands, and said, "I will go gather some firewood to start a fire." The woman responded with an "mm" and crawled into the tent to arrange the quilt. The man glanced around, took an axe from the trunk of the SUV, and walked towards the woods

Hou Jia was somewhat tempted by this suggestion. When Old Xing initially proposed to leave, she had considered this method, but it was too risky. Human combat abilities are hardly reliable in the face of zombies, and she could not contribute anything to this matter, only hoping that Old Xing could accomplish it independently. The difference between that and sending him to his death was merely a matter of phrasing, so she did not voice it. Now it seems that he, like herself at the time, had thought of this method but lacked the courage to express it. After all, people do not choose to fight desperately unless they are pushed to the brink.

As two individuals were beginning to doubt whether the decision made a few days ago had been too hasty, there was suddenly some movement from over there. Lao Xing noticed three men standing up and walking towards them, and immediately became tense. He reached for the axe used for chopping wood beside him and pushed Hou Jia, saying, "Go to the car." Hou Jia looked at him in panic, stood up, and ran towards the vehicle.

The woman murmured in acknowledgment and then asked, "What about the car?" Old Xing glanced at her, understanding that she was inquiring whether the car should be turned off. After a moment of thought, he gestured for her to get out of the car, saying, "I will turn the front of the car around and head back tomorrow to avoid them."

Old Xing was somewhat tempted by this suggestion; perhaps he could take this opportunity to engage in conversation with those individuals. However, after some consideration, he rejected the proposal. No one knew whether those people were good or bad, and the disparity in numbers between the two sides was significant. It was better not to provoke them actively. The best outcome would be for each party to go their separate ways tomorrow, never to cross paths again.

The subject of firearms is a taboo in China. Before a disaster, if two groups engage in a violent clash, even if one person's head is severed, the extent of police intervention will depend on their mood. However, once firearms are involved, even if no one is injured, the situation will immediately escalate to the level of a major case. Therefore, ordinary citizens are quite unfamiliar with guns, and many young people can mostly only admire the true form of firearms through various images.

Old Xing is 1.85 meters tall, while this man is just over 1.70 meters. Moreover, the difference in their physiques is quite significant; essentially, Old Xing's body could envelop the man, allowing him to wear an additional cotton-padded jacket. Therefore, being in close proximity naturally creates a sense of oppression, which leaves the man feeling quite dissatisfied

The man who was gathering firewood saw the car and immediately dropped the small tree in his hands, running swiftly towards the tent. The woman inside had just finished arranging the place for the night when she saw the man rushing in a panic, which startled her. She stood up and looked behind him, trying to see if something was chasing him, and called out, "Lao Xing, what happened?"

The two men across the way stretched their necks to look this way. There was a tent obstructing their view, and they only saw one person jump onto the car, followed by Lao Xing emerging from behind the vehicle while holding an axe

Old Xing shook his head and described the situation he had observed. The woman hesitated and said, "Should we leave?"

The poplar forest is not large, approximately consisting of seven or eight rows and several dozen columns, and the branches of the poplar trees are usually not very lush. Therefore, there are few obstructions to the line of sight between the forest belts. On a clear day, one can almost see the other side from this side. However, now that the sky is overcast, it is quite difficult to see the scene within the forest clearly

The man glanced into the woods while holding an axe, deciding not to venture further inside. He stepped down the road and walked towards a small fallen tree not far away. The small tree appeared to have been broken for quite some time, with the leaves on its branches long gone, leaving only the upper branches still attached to the trunk, rigidly pointing towards the sky

Seeing his companion in distress, the man with the rifle took off his gun and rushed over, striking Lao Xing on the back with the butt of the rifle. Unfortunately, Lao Xing was large enough that he did not fall. In a fit of anger, the man kicked Lao Xing behind the knee, and this time, Lao Xing finally knelt down on the ground. The man with the handgun, who had just suffered a setback, cursed as he approached and kicked Lao Xing again. However, his strength was not great; due to the cold weather, Lao Xing was wearing several layers of clothing, so he did not feel much pain. At that moment, he heard Hou Jia call out. Looking through the gap between the two men who were beating him, he saw another man pressing Hou Jia to the ground, tearing at her clothes.

Having survived in the apocalypse for so long, even if one was once detached from the mundane affairs of life, one has inevitably become familiar with the necessity of cooking and making fire. The concept of dark cuisine could only exist under conditions of abundant resources, which were prevalent before the disaster. In the apocalypse, where even a bout of diarrhea could be fatal, no one dares to gamble with their own life. Therefore, as long as conditions permit, most people place great importance on the act of eating, especially dinner, which they strive to make as plentiful as possible.

Under the gloomy sky, two vehicles suddenly appeared on the highway. Leading the way was a Toyota V8, similar to the SUV of the two individuals from earlier, followed by a double-cab Great Wall pickup truck, its bed piled high with various items. Noticing that a vehicle had already stopped ahead on the road, the two vehicles immediately slowed down and parked at a distance from the campsite of the man and woman. After a while, two men opened the car doors and stepped out, glancing this way and occasionally engaging in quiet conversation.

However, the dual blow of the war and the biochemical disaster that occurred last year has completely shattered the normal social order, and naturally, there are no longer any diligent workers. Thus, several poplar trees, each with a diameter of over ten centimeters, lie fallen by the roadside, their leaves on the branches already yellowing and withering, trembling incessantly in the north wind, appearing desolate and regrettable

Old Xing stood in place for a while and noticed that there were three men in the convoy, aged approximately between twenty and thirty. This disparity in strength made him somewhat concerned. However, among those people, there was also a woman and a child. Given that they were bringing a child at such a time, it was likely that their character was not too bad. He watched as they began to unload tents and cooking utensils from the pickup truck to prepare for camping, showing no intention of approaching. Thus, he turned and walked away.

Three men watched Hou Jia leave, and they were not in a hurry; they simply walked over slowly. As they approached, Lao Xing felt a sinking sensation in his heart; they had guns

The man on the other side pushed Hou Jia down onto the road and turned to shake his head at the man with the gun: "There are only the two of them."

"Then let's use it sparingly," Old Xing said with annoyance. "Last time, we should have washed more rice when there was water." The woman smiled slightly; Old Xing was a person with a strong sense of crisis, so he always tried to prepare everything in advance as much as possible. However, if rice is washed in advance, its shelf life is significantly shortened. Therefore, they usually only prepare enough for two or three days. Contrary to what most people imagine, in the rural areas of the Northeast grain-producing region, rice is not a rare commodity; almost every household has a large stock of grain. On the other hand, finding safe drinking water resources is not easy.

Then his expression suddenly froze, and a triangular object suddenly emerged from his throat. He opened his hands and touched the protruding object next to his Adam's apple, trying to look back for a moment, but his body finally lost its balance and he fell headlong to the ground

Soon, two piles of bonfires were lit. Old Xing was better prepared on this side, while the other group, being larger in number, had a similar timing for preparing dinner. Due to the presence of those individuals, Old Xing did not dare to leave the road as he usually would to set traps for small animals like wild rabbits and chickens. Instead, he took out the food from the vehicle and began to heat it. A woman whispered, "They are using gasoline to start the fire." Due to the presence of those individuals, Old Xing did not dare to leave the road as he usually would to set traps for small animals like wild rabbits and chickens. Instead, he took out the food from the vehicle and began to heat it. A woman whispered, "They are using gasoline to start the fire."

"Should we remind them that the gas station ahead is already out of fuel?" the woman kindly suggested. This is a rural road, but there is a highway entrance not far from where they came, close to a service area. However, it seems that a large fire occurred there, leaving everything completely burned down. If those people think they can get supplies ahead, they will likely be disappointed.

A woman named Hou Jia looked at him strangely and shook her head, saying, "Zombies have appeared in the town, we cannot stay there"

The woman who had been hiding in the car had started the engine and was anxiously waiting for Old Xing. Upon seeing him return, she hurriedly asked, "How did it go?"

Taking advantage of his speaking, Old Xing pushed himself up from the ground with both hands and got back on his feet. The person who had stepped on him overestimated his own strength and was directly thrown to the ground by Old Xing, falling harder than his companion with a rifle. Next to him, the man with the rifle had just gotten up and was still adjusting his balance when Old Xing, who had just risen, pushed him from behind, causing him to fall to the ground again. Old Xing swayed slightly and jumped over the man he had just pushed down. At that moment, Hou Jia, who had already run a few steps ahead, turned back and cried out. Old Xing urgently shouted, "Run quickly, don't look back." While he was speaking, the man who had attempted to assault Hou Jia had already gotten up and lunged at Old Xing, trying to bring him down. However, Old Xing's physique gave him an advantage; he only swayed slightly and did not fall, while the man ended up hanging on him, looking quite ridiculous. Old Xing shouted again, "Run quickly, don't look back." While he was speaking, the man who had attempted to assault Hou Jia had already gotten up and lunged at Old Xing, trying to bring him down. However, Old Xing's physique gave him an advantage; he only swayed slightly and did not fall, while the man ended up hanging on him, looking quite ridiculous. Staggering, he ran a couple of steps and finally broke free from the man on him, continuing to run towards the car.

The two men were not particularly surprised by this request. The current living environment is harsh, and everyone has limited resources. It is not uncommon for survivors to kill for a small amount of useful supplies. It is also normal for strangers to be wary of each other, as everyone must be on guard against being caught in a conflict with others. In a world devoid of order, there are no police to rely on

Thus, after the newcomers realized that Old Xing had no intention of driving them away, the two of them conferred again. The person who had just spoken to Old Xing turned around and walked back, exchanging a few words with the people in the pickup truck behind. He then returned and said something to those in the vehicle, after which a woman emerged from the SUV with a child. It was evident that they were aware of what was happening outside, so the woman glanced anxiously at Old Xing, turned, and walked down the road, seemingly preparing to relieve herself. She then returned and said something to those in the vehicle again, and another woman with a child emerged from the SUV. They clearly understood the situation outside, and the woman, looking worried, glanced at Old Xing before turning to walk down the road, appearing to prepare for a moment of convenience. Accompanying her was a boy about thirteen or fourteen years old, standing at around one meter fifty-six in height, though somewhat slender. After getting out of the car, he looked in the direction of Old Xing and quietly stood by the vehicle without moving.

Old Xing had not yet spoken when he heard Hou Jia scream. His attention had been completely drawn to the man speaking to him, and he had not noticed another man, empty-handed, turning towards the SUV. At that moment, the man had already opened the car door and roughly pulled Hou Jia out. Old Xing shouted in anger and wanted to rush over, but the man in front of him had been particularly cautious of the axe in his hand. He quickly pulled out a handgun from his pocket and aimed it at him, shouting, "Don't move, drop the axe." Old Xing hesitated for a moment upon seeing the gun in his hand, slowly released his grip, and the axe fell to the ground with a soft sound. Old Xing shouted in anger and wanted to rush over, but the man in front of him had been particularly cautious of the axe in his hand. He quickly pulled out a handgun from his pocket and aimed it at him, shouting, "Don't move, drop the axe." Old Xing hesitated for a moment upon seeing the gun in his hand, slowly released his grip, and the axe fell to the ground with a soft sound.

Reaching the broken root of the small tree, the man stepped on it with his foot, and the trunk emitted a creaking sound, sounding quite dry. The man felt quite satisfied, raised his axe, and struck down, severing the remaining connected parts in a few blows, then dragged it back towards his camp.

The woman clearly sensed his tension and said beside him, "I haven't seen the sun for several days."

When they were camping just now, they noticed that there were not many people on Lao Xing's side. By the time Lao Xing and the other person finished their dinner, they were already able to determine that there were only two people on this side, and one of them was a woman. However, they were concerned that Lao Xing and the other person might have guns, which is why they acted a bit cautiously. Now that the alarm has been lifted, all three of them have relaxed. The man with the handgun kicked Lao Xing's leg, causing Lao Xing to stagger but not fall. In contrast, the man who kicked him almost lost his balance due to the reaction force and nearly fell to the ground. However, they were concerned that Lao Xing and the other person might have guns, which is why they acted a bit cautiously. Now that the alarm has been lifted, all three of them have relaxed. The man with the handgun kicked Lao Xing's leg, causing Lao Xing to stagger but not fall. In contrast, the man who kicked him almost lost his balance due to the reaction force and nearly fell to the ground.

She understood why Old Xing chose to leave. After more than a year of being together, she discovered that although Old Xing appeared somewhat fierce, he was not a bad person at heart. It was likely that he had never committed any heinous acts in the past, which explained why he had a strong physique but lacked courage. Faced with a few zombies, he would probably be scared out of his wits first, and it was only natural for him to think of escaping when encountering danger

Just after the beginning of autumn, although the weather has turned quite cold, the daylight hours are still long. Therefore, after both groups have finished their dinner and the sky has not yet completely darkened, Old Xing set up a stool beside the campfire, contemplating whether to stay awake all night to guard against the people over there. However, he also felt that it was unnecessary to be overly cautious and regard everyone as a potential threat; one should always have a bit of faith in humanity. After thinking it over for a while, he decided to load everything onto the vehicle first. Regardless of whether it was light or not when he woke up, he would leave these people behind.

The person holding the gun did not walk at the forefront; the first to approach Lao Xing was empty-handed, wearing a loose leather jacket, with very short hair, and appeared to be quite attentive to personal hygiene. He glanced at the axe in Lao Xing's hand, smirked mockingly, then greeted him with a distinctly local opening line, saying: "Have you eaten?"

"Forget it," said Old Xing. "I estimate the problem isn't significant. It's not easy to find a place to stay overnight either. We'll manage for now, and tomorrow we'll get up early and leave as soon as it gets light."

Old Xing shouted angrily, jumped up suddenly, pushed the man in front of him aside, and ran towards Hou Jia. The two men breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Old Xing throw away the axe, thinking that this person was no different from those they had encountered before. They did not expect Old Xing to suddenly change his mind, and were startled by his actions. Their first reaction was to stop Old Xing from picking up the axe on the ground, never considering that he would take off running. This delay caused them to fail to stop him in time. Old Xing was not far from Hou Jia, so he quickly ran to her side, pulled the man who was on top of her down, and forcefully threw him aside. Then he reached out to grab Hou Jia and shouted, "Run!" Before his words had even finished, he was struck on the back with a rifle butt, as the man with the rifle had chased after him. Old Xing was not far from Hou Jia, so he quickly ran to her side, pulled the man who was on top of her down, and forcefully threw him aside. Then he reached out to grab Hou Jia and shouted, "Run!" Before his words had even finished, he was struck on the back with a rifle butt, as the man with the rifle had chased after him. He stumbled slightly, pushed Hou Jia away, and then fell to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man with the rifle running past him, and he quickly reached out to grab the man's pant leg. The man did not expect this move, stumbled, and fell directly to the ground, dropping his gun in the process. At that moment, the man with the handgun finally caught up. He kicked Old Xing in the back, and this time, from a higher position, it was quite effective, directly stepping on Old Xing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man with the rifle running past him, and he quickly reached out to grab the man's pant leg. The man did not expect this move, stumbled, and fell directly to the ground, dropping his gun in the process. At that moment, the man with the handgun finally caught up. He kicked Old Xing in the back, and this time, from a higher position, it was quite effective, directly stepping on Old Xing. Then he waved his handgun and shouted, "Catch her."

A small tent is set up on the leeward side of a fallen tree, and next to the tent, an old SUV is parked on the road, with two people busily working by the vehicle

To be honest, the two men were somewhat apprehensive about Lao Xing's physique, and they could not ascertain each other's strength. Therefore, as they watched Lao Xing standing motionless by the car, they whispered a few words to each other, glanced back at the pickup truck behind them, likely assessing the feasibility of turning around and leaving. Then, one of them called out loudly: "We are just passing by, and we mean no harm"